Case Study 1:

Where did the First

Catholic Mass Take
Place in the
Philippines
Presented by: Lumacang,
Genelyn Mar S.
1
Lesson
Objectice:
At the end of the lesson, students will
be able to:
• Analyze the historical accounts and
evidence related to the first Catholic
Mass in the Philippines.
• Evaluate the conflicting claims
about the exact location of the first 2
Butuan has long been believed as the site of the first Mass.
In fact, this has been the case for three centuries,
culminating in the erection of a monument in 1872 near
Agusan River, which commemorates the expedition's arrival
and celebration of Mass on 8 April 1521. The Butuan claim
has been based on a rather elementary reading of primary
sources from the event.

Toward the end of the nineteenth century and the start of

the twentieth century, together with the increasing
scholarship on the history of the Philippines, a more

3
nuanced reading of the available evidence was made, which
brought to light more considerations in gong against the
more accepted interpretation of the first Mass in the
It must be noted that there are only two primary sources
that historians refer to in identifying the site of the first
Mass. One is the log kept by Francisco Albo, a pilot of one of
Magellan's ship, Trinidad. He was one of the 18 survivors
who returned with Sebastian Elcano on the ship Victoria
after they circumnavigated the world. The other, and the
more complete, was the account by Antonio Pigafetta, Primo
Uaggio intorno al mondo (First Voyage Around the World).
Pigafetta, like Albo, was a member of the Magellan
expedition and an eyewitness of the events, particularly, of
the first Mass.

4
 Masao, Butuan City
In
Evidences
1872, a monument to
commemorate the site of the first
mass on the Philippines was
erected in Butuan.
In 1953, the people in Butuan ask
the Philippine Historical Committee
to rehabilitate the monument or

5
place a marker on the site
 Masao, Butuan City
Evidences
Gregorio Zaide a Filipino historian,
author and politician from the town
of Pagsanjan, Laguna in the
Philippines, claims the location to
the first mass is in Butuan base on
Pigafetta’s account.
President Carlos P. Garcia did not

6
sign the law (R.A. No, 2733). An act
to declare the site Magallnes,
Limasawa Island in the province of
 Masao, Butuan City
Evidences
According to the primary records,
the expedition traveled 20-25
leagues from Homonhon, the first
landing point. If they had been to
Limasawa Island, the distance is
only 14.6 leagues or one-half of
that length

7
The relevance of the name Masao,
to Pigafetta’s account, Mazaua.
Primary Source: Albo's
Log
Source: Diario o derotero del viage de Magallanes
desde el cabo se S. Agustin en el Brazil hasta el
regreso a Espana de la nao Victoria, escrito por
Frandsco Albo," Document no. xxii in Colleción de
viages descubrinmientos que hicieron por mar los
Españoles desde fines del siglo XV, Ed. Martin
Fernandez de Navarrete (reprinted Buenos Aires 1945,
0 Vols) IV, 191-225. As cited in Miguel A. Bernad

8
"Butuan or Limasawa The Site of the First Mass in the
Philippines: A Reexamination of Evidence 1981,
Künaadman: A Journal of Southern Philippines, Vol.
Primary Source: Albo's
Log
1. On the 16th of March (1521) as they sailed in a
westerly course from Ladrones, they saw land towards
the northwest; but owing to many shallow places they
did not approach it. They found later that its name
was Yunagan.

2. They went instead that same day southwards to

another small island named Suluan, and there they

9
anchored. There they saw some canoes but these fled
at the Spaniards' approach. This island was at 9 and
two-thirds degrees North latitude.
Primary Source: Albo's
Log
3. Departing from those two islands, they sailed
westward to an uninhabited island of Gada" where
they took in a supply of wood and water. The sea
around that island was free from shallows. (Albo does
not give the latitude of this island, but from
Pigatetta's testimony, this seems to be the "Acquada
or Homonhon, at 10 degrees North latitude.)

1
4. From that island they sailed westwards towards a
large island names Seilani that was inhabited and was
known to have gold. (Seilani- or, as Pigafetta calls it,
Primary Source: Albo's
Log
5.Sailing southwards along the coast of that large
island of Seilani, they turned southwest to a small
island called "Mazava." That island is also at a latitude
of 9 and two-thirds degrees North.

6. The people of that island of Mazava were very good.

There the Spaniards planted a cross upon a mountain-
top, and from there they were shown three islands to
the west and southwest, where they were told there
was much gold. "They showed us how the gold was
gathered, which came in small pieces like peas and
1
Primary Source: Albo's
Log
7. From Mazava they sailed northwards again towards
Seilani. They followed the coast of Seilani in a
northwesterly direction, ascending up to 10 degrees of
latitude where they saw three small islands.

8. From there they sailed westwards some ten

leagues, and there they saw three islets, where they
dropped anchor for the night. In the morning they

1
sailed southwest some 12 leagues, down to a latitude
of 10 and one-third degree. There they entered a
channel between two islands, one of which was called
Primary Source: Albo's
Log
9. They sailed down that channel and then turned
westward and anchored at the town (la villa) of Subu
where they stayed many days and obtained provisions
and entered into a peace-pact with the local king.

10. The town of Subu was on an east-west direction

with the islands of Suluan and Mazava. But between
Mazava and Subu, there were so many shallows that

1
the boats could not go westward directly but has to go
(as they did) in a round-about way.
 Primary Source: Pigafetta's
Testimony on the Route of
Magellan's
Source: Emma
Expedition
Blair and James
Alexander Robertson, The Philippine
Islands, Vols. 33 and 34, as cited in
Miguel A. Bernad, "Butuan or
Limasawa? The Site of the First Mass in
the Philippines: A Reexamination of
Evidence" 1981, Kinaadman: A Journal
of Southern Philippines, Vol. III, 1-35.
1
 Primary Source: Pigafetta's
Testimony on the Route of
1. Magellan's
Saturday, Expedition
16 March 1521- Magellan's expedition
sighted a "high land" named "Zamal" which was some
300 leagues westward of Ladrones (now the Marianas)
Islands.

2 Sunday, March 17 "The following day" after sighting

Zamal Island, they landed on "another island which was
uninhabited" and which lay "to the right" of the above-
mentioned island of "Zamal." (To the "righť here would

1
mean on their starboard going south or southwest.)
There they set up two tents for the sick members of the
 Primary Source: Pigafetta's
Testimony on the Route of
3. Magellan's
On that Expedition
same day (Sunday, March 17), Magellan
named the ensure archipelago the "Islands of Saint
Lazarus," the reason being that it was Sunday in the
Lenten season when the Gospel assigned for the Mass
and the liturgical Office was the eleventh chapter of St.
John, which tells of the raising of Lazarus from the dead.

4. Monday, March 18- In the afternoon of their second

day on that island, they saw a boat coming towards

1
them with nine men in it. An exchange of gifts was
effected. Magellan asked for food supplies, and the men
 Primary Source: Pigafetta's
Testimony on the Route of
5. There Magellan's Expedition
were two springs of water on that island of
Homonhon. Also, they saw there some indications that
there was gold in these islands. Consequently, Magellan
renamed the island and called it the "Watering Place of
Good Omen" (Acquada la di bouni segniali).

6. Friday, March 22-At noon the natives returned. This

time they were in two boats, and they brought food

17
supplies.

7. Magellan's expedition stayed eight days at

 Primary Source: Pigafetta's
Testimony on the Route of
8. Magellan's
Monday, March 25 In theExpedition
afternoon, the expedition
weighed anchor and left the island of Homonhon. In the
ecclesiastical calendar, this day (March 25) was the
feast-day of the Incarnation, also called the feast of the
Annunciation and therefore "Our Lady's Day. On this day,
as they were about to weigh anchor, an accident
happened to Pigafëtta: he fell into the water but was
rescued. He attributed his narrow escape from death as

18
grace obtained through the intercession of the Blessed
Virgin Mary on her feast-day.
 Primary Source: Pigafetta's
Testimony on the Route of
9. Magellan's
The route taken by theExpedition
expedition after leaving
Homonhon was "toward the west southwest, between
four islands: namely, Cenalo, Hiunanghan, Ibusson and
Albarien." Very probably "Cenalo is a misspelling in the
Italian manuscript for what Pigafetta in his map calls
"Ceilon and Albo calls "Seilani: namely the island of
Leyte. Hiunanghan" (a misspelling of Hinunangan)
seemed to Pigafetta to be a separate island, but is

19
actually on the mainland of Leyte G.e., "Ceylon"). On the
other hand, Hibuson (Pigafetta's Ibusson) is an island
east of Leyte's southern tip.
 Primary Source: Pigafetta's
Testimony on the Route of
Magellan's
10. Thursday, March 28 In theExpedition
morning of Holy Thursday,
March 6, they anchored off an island where the previous
night they had seen a light or a bonfire. That island "lies
in a latitude of nine and two-thirds towards the Arctic
Pole (i.e., North) and in a longitude of one hundred and
sixty-two degrees from the line of demarcation. It is
twenty-five leagues from the Acquada, and is called
Mazaua.

11. They remained seven days on Mazaua Island.

20
 Primary Source: Pigafetta's
Testimony on the Route of
Magellan's
12. Thursday, Expedition
April 4-They left Mazaua, bound for Cebu.
They were guided thither by the king of Mazaua who
sailed in his own boat. Their route took them past five
"islands" namely: "Ceylon, Bohol, Canighan, Baibai, and
Gatighan."

13. At Gatighan, they sailed westward to the three

islands of the Camotes Group, namely, Poro, Pasihan

21
and Ponson. Here the Spanish ships stopped to allow
the king of Mazaua to catch up with them, since the
Spanish ships were much faster than the native
 Primary Source: Pigafetta's
Testimony on the Route of
14. From Magellan's Expedition
the Camotes Islands they sailed southwards
towards "Zubu.

15. Sunday, April 7 - At noon they entered the harbor of

"Zubu (Cebu). It had taken them three days to negotiate
the journey from Mazaua northwards to the Camotes
Islands and then southwards to Cebu.

It must be pointed out that both Albo and Pigafetta's

testimonies coincide and corroborate each other.
Pigafetta gave more details on what they did during22
 Primary Source: Pigafetta and
Seven Days in Mazaua
Source: Emma Blair and James
Alexander Robertson, The Philippine
Islands, Vols. 33 and 34, as cited in
Miguel A. Bernad, "Butuan or Limasawa?
The Site of the First Mass in the
Philippines: A Reexamination of
Evidence" 1981, Kinaadman: A Journal
23
of Southern Philippines, Vol. III, 1-35.
 Primary Source: Pigafetta and
Seven Days in Mazaua
1. Thursday, March 28-In the morning they anchored
near an island where they had seen a light the night
before a small boat (boloto) came with eight natives, to
whom Magellan threw some trinkets as presents. The
natives paddled away, but two hours later two larger
boats (balanghai) came, in one of which the native king
sat under an awning of mats. At Magellan's invitation
some of the natives went up the Spanish ship, but the
native king remained seated in his boat. An exchange of

24
gifts was effected. In the afternoon that day, the
Spanish ships weighed anchor and came closer to shore,
 Primary Source: Pigafetta and
Seven Days in Mazaua
2. Friday, March 29-"Next day. Holy Friday, Magellan sent
his slave interpreter ashore in a small boat to ask the
king if he could provide the expedition with food
supplies, and to say that they had come as friends and
not as enemies. In reply the king himself came in a boat
with six or eight men, and this time went up Magellan's
ship and the two men embraced. Another exchange of
gifts was made. The native king and his companions

25
returned ashore, bringing with them two members of
Magellan's expedition as guests for the night. One of the
two was Pigafetta.
 Primary Source: Pigafetta and
Seven Days in Mazaua
3. Saturday, March 30 Pigafetta and his companion had
spent the previous evening feasting and drinking with
the native king and his son. Pigafetta deplored the fact
that, although it was Good Friday, they had to eat meat.
The following morning (Saturday) Pigafetta and his
companion took leave of their hosts and returned to the
ships.

26
 Primary Source: Pigafetta and
Seven Days in Mazaua
4. Sunday, March 31-"Early in the morning of Sunday,
the last of March and Easter day," Magellan sent the
priest ashore with some men to prepare for the Mass.
Later in the morning Magellan landed with some fifty
men and Mass was celebrated, after which a cross was
venerated. Magellan and the Spaniards returned to the
ship for the noon-day meal, but in the afternoon they
returned ashore to plant the cross on the summit of the

27
highest hill. In attendance both at the Mass and at the
planting of the cross were the king of Mazaua and the
king of Butuan.
 Primary Source: Pigafetta and
Seven Days in Mazaua
5. Sunday, March 31-On that same afternoon, while on the
summit of the highest hill, Magellan asked the two kings
which ports he should go to in order to obtain more
abundant supplies of food than were available in that
island. They replied that there were three to choose from:
Ceylon, Zubu, and Calagan. Of the three, Zubu was the port
with the most trade. Magellan then said that he wished to
go to Zubu and to depart the following morning. He asked
for someone to guide him thither. The kings replied that
the pilots would be available "any time. But later that

28
evening the King of Mazaua changed his mind and said that
he would himself conduct Magellan to Zubu but that he
 Primary Source: Pigafetta and
Seven Days in Mazaua
6. Monday, April 1 Magellan sent men ashore to help
with the - harvest, but no work was done that day
because the two kings were sleeping off their drinking
bout the night before.

7. Tuesday, April 2 and Wednesday, April3- Work on the

harvest during the "next to days, 1.e., Tuesday and
Wednesday, the 2nd and 3rd of April.

29
8. Thursday, April 4-They leave Mazaua, bound for Cebu.
Limasawa, Southern Leyte
Evidences
Francisco Albo’s Log Book one of
the pilot in the voyage of Magellan,
who is included in 18 survivors,
writes in his book that they erected
a cross on a mountain that
overlooks the island.
On June 19, 1960, the Philippine

30
Congress enacted a bill (R.A. No.
2733) declaring Limasawa as the
place where Magellan celebrated
Limasawa, Southern Leyte
Evidences
Philippines on Easter Sunday,
March 31, 1521.

31
32
THANK YOU

33